Engineer Meets Artist: A CMU Love Story
Opposites Attract — and Give Back to the University They Love
By Sarah Burke
Sometimes, a blind date can last a lifetime, just like it did for alumni Charles (E 1959, 1961, 1965) and Cindy Cozewith (A 1962).
When Charles attended his fraternity brother’s wedding in 1959, shortly after receiving his bachelor’s degree from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, he had no idea that a friend of the bride would connect him with “the perfect girl,” her sorority sister — and Charles’ future wife.
“The meeting took place on a blind date in the fall, and we meshed perfectly even though I was an engineer and Cindy was a painting and design major,” Charles said. “We were married in 1961, and our four children and nine grandchildren can attest to the adage that opposites do attract.”
Both look back on their education and years at CMU with gratitude for the foundation it provided for their vocations, their lives and the next chapter in their CMU story.
As an undergraduate and graduate student in chemical engineering, Charles received generous scholarships that made his education possible. The problem-solving and analytical skills he gained as a student led to a successful career in the newly emerging field of olefin polymers.
Cindy also credits her art education with helping her succeed as a clay sculptor.
“Creativity sustained me during my child-rearing years, and has been especially important to me as an empty-nester,” she said.
Whether students are studying engineering or art, Charles and Cindy want to be sure a CMU education is within reach for them. The couple is making a difference at Carnegie Mellon by helping the next generation of students achieve their goals. They have established two scholarships in memory of their parents, the Frances and Herman Cozewith Scholarship in Chemical Engineering and the Louise and Leo Scott Scholarship in Art.
“Contributing each year to scholarships we have endowed is our way of paying back for all that CMU has given us,” Charles said.
Since 2000, the Cozewiths’ endowed scholarships have helped seven chemical engineering students and eight art students pursue their passions at Carnegie Mellon.
Grace Simmons, a senior in art, said she is grateful for the Scott Scholarship that has offered her so many life-changing educational experiences.
“I probably couldn’t have this opportunity if I didn’t get aid and scholarships like this,” she said. “I've loved every minute of studying art at Carnegie Mellon.”
